


Unexpected

by Taua



Series: Vanitas The Cop [2]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Disturbing Content, Drug Abuse, Dubious Consent, Grafic Description of Wounds, Halloween Costumes, Kissing, M/M, Mentions of Illegal Business
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-30
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2021-01-13 08:54:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21241463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Taua/pseuds/Taua
Summary: It was supposed to be a weekend away from their problems, a small breather from the stress back home.But as they arrive at Twilight Town for the annual Halloween festivities, Riku can't shake off the feeling that something is bound to happen. The fact that people, especially tourists, keep disappearing in the city doesn't make it much easier for him.Between confusing feelings, unstilled desires, and the foreboding Riku's friends need his help. But will he be able to safe them?





	1. Just A Trip

Hardly ten seconds after Riku rang the bell the white, wooden door was already wrenched open. The smile greeting him was large as it was, but the way the sky-colored eyes flicked around were proof their owner did in fact not know who was dropping by. The moment the gaze rose up to Riku's face the gentle smile however turned into a full-on beam.

“Riku! You came!” A second later the familiar weight threw itself into his arms for a tight hug.

“Aw Sora, you doubted me?” he replied with fake hurt in his voice complete with a disappointed furrow of thin, silver eyebrows.

Sora pulled away before he shoved him with a grin. “Nah. I'm just happy to see you, that's all.” Before Riku could say anything back Sora already tugged him inside by his wrist, hard enough to make him stumble a little. “I baked some cupcakes! You gotta try one before we head out. Kairi and Naminé are already here, too,” he happily told away as he dragged Riku through the house he knew just as well as his own.

The parquet was well worn by the entrance, the material rubbed off by the amount of sandy flip-flops crossing it during countless summers. A small wooden cabinet near the coatrack still carried the dent Riku made once when he stumbled and hit it with his head, making him lose one of his baby teeth. In the corner of the mirror hanging in the hallway was the faint outline of Kairi's hand when the walls got painted and they all decided to help. Back then Naminé was allowed to make a beautiful painting on one of the walls, a pair of Paopu trees connected by a cord which displayed dozens of photos, some of them together, others only with the residents or Sora alone, attached with coat hooks they glued onto the wall.

Their houses showed similar signs from their group of friends, but Sora's still remained the place with most of their childhood memories. It was like they were all siblings, rose together under the same roof since birth.

That was why Riku, instead of following Sora into the kitchen, took a turn to the living-room instead. As he expected he found Sora's mother seated in her usual armchair with an album across her lap and a blanket draped over her shoulders. She looked pale, her skin clinging so much on her the loss of weight turned painfully obvious. The sickness was taking its toll on her, although her blue eyes remained just as gentle as always, pools filled with love and optimism she passed on to her son.

Before she could even think about getting up Riku closed the distance and leaned down to give her a gentle kiss on the cheek. “Hi mom. How have you been?” he asked, knowing better than to call her by her first name. That was stress and tension he could easily avoid and these days he'd do _anything_ to make her smile last.

“Oh thank you for asking, Riku. You're always so thoughtful.” She lifted her hands and closed them around his with a light squeeze. “I've been really good. The boys make sure to keep me in shape and help a lot, so it's fine.”

“It's the least, really. I'm sorry I couldn't come home any sooner, but coll-”

“Nah, nah, there's nothing to apologize for,” she interrupted with a wave of her hand. “Your studies are important. You worked so hard to get into the academy! Besides, between my hubby and Vanitas I am all but lonely.”

“A pretty way to say you need constant surveillance,” a harsh, gruff voice cut in. It sounded familiar and alien alike, hints of Sora mixed with something darker and joined by an underlining hiss. Riku could hardly keep his eyes from narrowing as he looked up and saw its owner, the thin lips turned down in constant annoyance and tinted sunglasses hiding away most of the upper face, some of the untamed black spikes falling across the forehead and the temples. Despite the covered eyes Riku _could tell_ he was glaring back, the scowl carved so deeply into the features it probably never got fully away. Yet Riku simply watched in silence as he approached with long steps before kneeling next to the armchair. Tone suddenly much softer he asked, “Mother, have you taken your vitamins yet? Do you need more painkillers?”

She reached out and gently cupped his cheek with a smile. “I'm perfectly fine, sweety.” Carefully she accepted the glass he held out for her, the straw bobbing as she moved to take a sip of the juice.

“I got your meds readied for the week. If you need something stronger for the pain, just call up the doctor and they'll deliver it right away.”

“Oh Vanitas,” she gave a light laugh with a shake of her head, “I'm sure they are very busy at the medical practice.”

“Definitely not. The fu-” Vanitas cut himself off with a click of his tongue before he sighed. “The _intern_ they currently employ is twirling her thumbs anyway. Might as well give her something to do.” He readjusted his weight and rested a hand on her knee. “Don't make me call Sora's trip off.”

It took Riku his _everything_ to not kick him in the ribs. How dare that asshole give her a bad conscience? Shamelessly using Sora and their intimate bond to his advantage, just because he felt like it!

He couldn't take the way her face twisted, so quickly Riku turned on his heels and walked off to the kitchen.

Vanitas and Sora might look alike in a way, but that was about as far as their similarities went. From the brief encounters Riku only saw him as a manipulative, selfish piece of shit that treated people like garbage. He was never around when they were little, only dropped by once every other year, too busy with his career or life or _whatever_ to see his family. Who knew what exactly Sora saw in him or why he bothered to invite him along on their trip to Twilight Town for the annual Halloween festivities. However, for the sake of Sora's delight he played nice and swallowed down whatever curses and anger bubbled up in his chest.

It was just a weekend. He could hold out that long.

And if not, well, Vanitas _did_ deserve a good punch in the face.

“Oh my. Someone looks grumpy,” Kairi teased as soon as he walked into the kitchen. Across the high counter Naminé looked up from her sketchbook, her bright eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly.

Riku didn't even regard her with an answer and, instead, grabbed one of the cupcakes and shoved it down his throat with two large bites. It was tasty, like most of the things Sora cooked, but he could hardly focus on the aroma when his blood was boiling like that.

He had to get a grip on himself. If Sora saw him that moping, he would give him the usual speech on how Vanitas was actually a good, decent guy and his commanding tone and manipulative way were expressing he cared. In a twisted way it made even sense, however when he used such filthy methods Riku couldn't find it in himself to look beyond the dickish attitude.

“Hey Riku, you gonna help me with the luggage?” Sora called from the corridor – a more than welcomed distraction. The large estate car he borrowed from his father had plenty of space in the back, but given how passionate Sora was about Halloween he likely packed up much more than he actually needed, just like the girls always did. It might be a tight fit after all.

Easily Riku gathered three suitcases in his arms and carried them out, a light chuckle escaping his chest as he watched Sora pacing up and down the trunk, one hand on his chin and head cocked to the side as he thought. “Do you think we'll get everything inside?” he asked once Riku was close enough, his hopeful eyes briefly shadowed by honest worry.

“It'll fit,” Riku assured, already adjusting his own bag to put the rest in. He had seen how much the car could carry back when he moved to college, more than half of his entire bedroom easily finding a spot inside.

Sora, of course, knew about it; he had been there and helped him pack. Still his blue eyes got bigger with wonder once Riku threw the trunk shut, all their luggage snugly inside. Laughing brightly Sora bumped their shoulders together and wrapped an arm around him in a brief hug, just as affectionate as always.

It took Riku his _everything_ to not press him up against the car for a row of kisses.

However he knew Sora didn't feel that way and respected his orientation. They would always be close, yes, but Riku's needs would never get met and he loved Sora too much to force it upon him. Probably the attraction would never fully disappear, which was completely alright. He could desire for Sora how much he liked as long as he didn't live it out – and his heart was so big he always, always forgave Riku whenever he slipped up and lost an inner fight.

But moments like that... with Sora so innocently happy and cheery, his eyes carrying that certain sparkle in them like the azure ocean reflected the sunrays... it turned so much harder for Riku to restrain himself.

“Let's get the others,” Riku suggested, his voice a mere breath. He needed a reason to bring some distance between them and, either for his luck or loss, Sora noticed his sudden strain and backed away as if burned.

“Yeah... sorry,” he mouthed, the spark faded and replaced by guilt – guilt that he couldn't be what Riku wished him to be.

That was even worse than the searing desire.

“Hey Sora.” Riku paused until those insecure eyes met his. “Nothing to be sorry about. It's fine. _You're_ fine. The way you are is just perfect.” He rested his hand on top of his shoulder and squeezed down, a smile on his lips. “Never apologize for being asexual. Not to me, not to anyone.”

The spark never came back to Sora's eyes, but his face lit up with deep gratitude as he gave a nod. “I'll go get the rest. Roxas has texted me five times already asking if we're on the way!” Easily he slipped out from Riku's loose grasp and jogged back into the house, his voice shouting throughout the corridor.

With a chuckle Riku walked around the car and sat on the driver's seat before he plugged his phone into the radio. He had mixed up a playlist with some rock and pop songs, sprinkled with a Disney piece once in a while. It covered a broad range of stuff all of them liked and he figured it was better for the six-hour drive to Twilight Town than have the girls and Sora fight over the station.

Besides – as far as he knew them, they would probably fall asleep halfway in anyway.

Unfortunately that wasn't the case with Vanitas.

Sora, Kairi, and Naminé had squeezed into the back seat; although the car was comfortably big they ended up shoulder-on-shoulder and since Vanitas was a little broader than either of them he took the passenger's spot on the front. Selfish as he was he didn't even adjust his seat, or bothered to ask if Kairi was comfortable behind him at all. He just got in, planted himself down with one arm rested on the small space by the window, and complained about the choice of music. Every once in a while his phone vibrated and he typed something back before pocketing it again... and Riku could swear he _growled_ when he read the messages.

Eventually the phone gave a light melody rather than the vibration and Vanitas snapped completely.

The others were asleep on the back and Riku had lowered the volume of the music to not disturb them, but Vanitas answered with such a loud “What?!” that he saw Naminé and Sora stir in their seats. Thankfully it was too short to wake them completely and they sunk back into the cushions, snuggled together.

Riku was about to tell him to keep it down when Vanitas already gave an exaggerated sigh. “Don't bore me with that _bullshit_. My ride was late, okay? Still on the way.”

Surprising enough Vanitas did speak lowlier, however Riku doubted it had to do with the others. Probably he just didn't want to be overheard or something.

“I don't give a fuck about your briefings. Have there been new discoveries?” Vanitas made a brief pause as the person on the other end replied. “_See_. No fucking point then. Unlike you, I _did_ my research. Now shut the fuck up and leave me alone.” Vanitas pulled the phone away from his ear and hung up. Once the phone was tucked away he reached up and took the glasses off before he rubbed his closed eyes with the fingers of his other hand. He muttered a couple of insults under his breath and pulled his lips into a snarl. It could have been a trick of his eyes, but Riku could swear his canines were longer than average.

“Everything alright?” Sora suddenly asked. As Riku's eyes flew back to the rear mirror he saw him sitting upright in the middle, his blue eyes a bit darker than usual and lips pressed to a thin line.

Vanitas covered his eyes with the sunglasses again before he huffed, “Just idiots from work. Don't worry and go back to sleep.”

In the reflection Sora worried his bottom lip as his eyebrows furrowed in concern. “Vanitas-” he tried again, voice a bit smaller than before.

“I said _go back to sleep_,” Vanitas snapped and glared into the mirror as well.

“Hey, cut it out,” Riku bit out with a stern tone. Whatever it was between them that Vanitas thought he could push Sora around like that, he was not going to let it happen in the cramped space of the car. It was almost like an instinct, a deep urge to keep Sora safe and comfortable which Riku cultivated in the decades of their friendship.

Not that Vanitas respected it in the slightest.

“The fuck do _you_ want now?” he snarled, head tilted around enough to face Riku. The challenge was so blatant he almost jumped to it, only waiting for a valid reason to punch Vanitas' stupid face, but before Riku could snap back he sensed a hand on his shoulder. Through the mirror he saw Sora had leaned forward, both hands stretched out and a silent request in his cerulean orbs.

Unable to resist it Riku heaved a sigh and focused back on the driving. Surprising enough Vanitas turned away with a huff as well and stared out of the window instead, his shoulder shrugging to shove off Sora's hand.

Somehow the weekend felt unbearably long to Riku now... and he honestly wondered if they would make it through it unharmed or if the tension would eventually go off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading the intro! 
> 
> Man, I pondered FOREVER over the summary. I'm absolutely not happy with it as it is, but I'm afraid if I write too much I'll end up spoiling you guys. 
> 
> Not much happens, however the middle is like trice as long?  
The end will be short and mostly wrap things up. 
> 
> I wanted to write something with horror since it's Halloween, but alas, in the end there is nothing supernatural happening in this xD  
Tomorrow follows the main part, the epilog comes on Friday. 
> 
> Have fun and stay safe,  
-T


	2. Gates Of Hell

Roxas' place was rather spacious, although they clearly challenged the capacity with three extra people. He had given up his bedroom for the girls while he, Sora, and Riku ended up sleeping in the living on the sofa arrangement and an air mattress on the floor. Thanks to Lady Luck smiling upon them Vanitas stayed over at Roxas' brother's place and they would drop by along with two other friends before they headed out.

The morning was spent lazying around and sleeping in, mostly since they had little intention to return before sunrise. Halloween was a big event in Twilight Town, the entire city joining in the festivities and the clubs and restaurants offering parties throughout the entire night for a cheap budget. Just what they needed as broke college students.

Riku also looked forward to the distraction. Mom's sickness was affecting all of them and it was still unreal to think that in just a few years she would be gone from their lives. However she'd never forgive either them or herself if it spoiled whatever fun and joy they could have.

Maybe they could all smile and laugh together, carefree for at least one weekend.

Once noon came around Sora and the girls started with their costumes. Riku was more conservative with his outfit and settled for a 'mad surgeon' theme – basically consisting of the usual, blue wear for doctors in a surgery room littered in splatters of crimson blood. In covered most of his front and Naminé painted him more strains onto his arms and face, even beneath the surgical mask. She also fixed up his hair, styled it backwards and so it fell a little across his eyes, his silver bangs also covered in blood here and there.

He was deeply grateful for her help; on his own, Riku would have never been able to archive such an excellent result.

Naminé herself dressed up as Alice from a horror-game. Basically she wore the same deep-blue overdress with a white apron like in the story, however it had some symbols stitched on the front pockets and splatters of blood strained the perfect white. Around her neck she wore a necklace with a horse-shoe attached to it and in one of her pockets was a fake knife with skillful adornments across the blades, just like the weapon in the game. Her legs were clad in striped leggings that ended in high black boots with several belts. The make-up was pretty tame in comparison, just smoky-eyes that brought out her blues more and a bit of lipstick to make them more glossy.

As she did Riku's make-up she confessed a bit of discomfort since her eye- and hair-colors were wrong, but he made sure to let her know how stunning she looked regardless. Naminé was the introvert of their group and always felt a little uneasy when they went out to party, however Riku refused to let it spoil her fun. A few drinks in Sora's contagious excitement would pull her out of her shell.

Kairi and Sora were occupying the bathroom so Naminé ended up helping Roxas as well, who went with a werewolf-costume. His friends wore something alike and they wanted to go as a pack and while the attire was pretty classy for Halloween, his outfit had some neat little details. The lumberjack shirt was torn and tattered at the seams and the bluejeans had cuts on the knees and shanks while patches of fake fur in a similar blond as his hair stuck on the outline of his arms and back of the hands. He had a matching tail attached to his rear as well as fake ears on his head, but Naminé styled his hair so the headband disappeared in his mane completely. She even managed to somehow cover up his normal ears, as if the ones poking out on his top were his only ones, and also helped him glue the sharp nails onto his fingers so it looked natural.

In fact she did such an amazing job that Xion, one of Roxas' friends, _begged_ to fix her up as well when she came around.

About an hour later – with Kairi and Sora still in the bathroom – the other friend, Axel, winded up at Roxas' with Ventus and Vanitas in tow.

And against his better judgment – Riku found himself _staring_.

Vanitas moved around as stuck-up as always and his vampire-costume was generic at best, but he pulled it off with a nearly natural grace anyway. His hair, much darker than Sora's but just as unruly, had more defined spikes that framed his face perfectly. The complexion of his skin had always been pale but now it bordered white, the veins on his neck a blue contrast even if only an inch or two poked out from beneath the high collar. Fake fangs parted his thin, pale lips almost comically, like he put little to no effort into making them look real compared to the way he painted his face, so much like Sora's but with sharper edges to it that might come from their difference in age.

However the most striking feature were _his_ _eyes_.

Maybe Riku was just biased since Vanitas never took off his sunglasses and he never really got to look at his face before, but those orbs... they were _breathtaking_.

The shape was roughly like Sora's, safe for slightly sharper edges, however where Riku was used to perfect cerulean Vanitas' were a bright red, like transparent rubies under the ray of a light. Even the pupils were more of a dark crimson than actual black, following the color scheme so seamlessly Riku could only imagine how expensive those contact lenses must have been.

What made them perfect was the shine in them though; dark and mysterious, although Riku sensed hidden horror in the deeps, as if those eyes had witnessed enough violence and terror to last several lifetimes. They were cold and ruthless in a way yet distant, as if their owner tried to keep the chaos away from the surface as good as he could.

“Take a picture. It'll last longer.”

The mock hit Riku so unexpected he blinked a couple of times and before he could cover his cheeks heated up, the blush even darkening when Vanitas cackled.

Riku muttered lowly to himself as he sat on the sofa, purposefully turning away from him. He concluded to have just been fascinated by Sora's face with such a different vibe. Nothing more, nothing less. The closer he looked the more differences he saw anyway, revealing it was in fact Vanitas the asshole, a poor and lousy double of the original.

“Wow, Van! You look _amazing_!”

Upon hearing Sora's voice Riku glanced up – and stifled down a chuckle.

“And you look like you're fucking ten,” Vanitas commented and Riku didn't need to see his curled lips to hear the disgust in his voice. “Seriously. Don't you have anything more... mature or something?”

“What? I think my costume looks good,” Sora replied with a pout and a slow twirl.

Well, it certainly _did_ look good on him. Pointy shoes with crimson stockings which disappeared in baggy, almost fluffy black pants. They hugged his slim waist with a belt, right on top of a grayish button-down vest he wore underneath a long-sleeved jacket with patches of fur on the collar and shoulders. His hands disappeared in a pair of light-gray gloves with X-markings and as he moved a pair of small bat-wings bounced on his back. A pair of fangs poked out from the corners of his lips and his hair was slightly darkened and styled, obscuring his face along with black make-up that gave him a permanent shadow which made his eye almost sparkle.

However his other eye was hidden behind a vibrantly orange, round face with horns. A green eye with a scar was open while the other winked and a large, toothy grin curled on the underside. Back in the years Sora wore it as a mask, but now the piece was attached to the side of his face in a nonchalant yet casual way, giving the outfit a bit of the almost childish joy Sora carried in his heart.

“I totally agree. It suits Sora perfectly,” Kairi cut in with a giggle. She went with a witch costume with a large hat that was as broad as her shoulders while her red hair fell around her back, purposefully messed up and with spiders woven into it. The dress itself was mostly black with crimson highlights in the inner seams, cut low and with the front of the skirt torn just above her knees while it reached all the way to the floor on the back. The way it hugged her curves was definitely complementing her figure and Riku got the impression she might have dressed up to catch a few glances, at least that particular night.

“Ah, so you're Sora.” Ventus stepped up to him, his pointy tail wiggling as he walked while the red wings of his devil-costume remained perfectly in place. “I don't think we met yet. I'm Ventus, but by friends call me Ven.” A smile graced his lips as he took Sora's hands for a shake, the motion instantly mirrored.

“Woah, you _do_ look like Roxy!” Impressed Sora leaned in and tilted his head, his mouth slightly agape as he took in the features.

Ventus chuckled lightly. “You look a lot like Vanitas yourself.”

“Yeah, but we can't be taken as twins. But you... how can you be four years older and still look so perfectly Roxasish?!”

“Come on Sora. It's not that much of a big deal,” Roxas mumbled with a sigh.

“Aw, spoilsport,” Sora complained with a whine but broke out into a small laughter seconds later. “But anyway, it's time to head out! Everyone, follow me!” Pumping one arm into the air Sora marched up to the door, the excitement coming off from him in waves.

With a shake of his head Riku rose from the sofa and smoothed out his clothes, checking his pockets to see if he had his wallet and phone on him. From his spot he saw a movement in the corner of his eye and looked up, watching as Vanitas lunched forward however stopped when a hand curled around his elbow.

Surprising enough it was Ventus who held him back – his smiling face shifted into a serious scowl. His lips moved as he spoke, but it was too low for Riku to hear the words between all the scuffing from the others.

“Listen, I don't give _a fuck_ about-” Vanitas snarled back, his voice considerably louder than Ventus' and more tensed than Riku ever heard him before.

“Think about it,” Ventus insisted, barely loud enough to be heard. “We won't get another opportunity like this. It's the only shot we got.”

Oddly enough Vanitas didn't fire back right away but, instead, glanced over at the door with a set yaw. For a moment concern washed over his features, however it was gone again so fast Riku wondered if it was a trick of his eyes. Still the scene turned his stomach into knots, although he failed to understand why.

“If they as much as _glance_ at him,” Vanitas bellowed as he fixed Ventus with a piercing glare, “I won't hold back.”

Despite the obvious threat Ventus relaxed his grab on the elbow and Vanitas broke free in the blink of an eye. “I'll give my all to draw the attention on me.” He patted Vanitas' shoulder with a smile, but hissed when it was wrenched away. For a moment Vanitas' red eyes met Riku's and narrowed even more, the stare malicious enough to drive a shiver down his spine, then strolled out of the apartment along with the others.

Goosebumps across his arms and definitely more alert than a minute ago, Riku followed suit.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was merely early evening but the streets were packed with people already. Music blared out of several shops that were still open, although many had signs up announcing they were closing by six-thirty. Kids in cute costumes roamed the roads with several adults in tow and bags stuffed full of candy, however they became less by the minute while the audience aged up. Confetti and paper garlands littered the ground, testimony of the earlier parade Riku ended up witnessing from the window while making sure Sora didn't fall out with all his bouncing, and as night fell over the city eerie lights illuminated the streets and alleys, giving the entire city a strangely creepy feeling.

They hit two clubs on their way, mostly to get some snacks into their system before they headed into 'Gates of Hell', which was apparently one of _the_ hot-spots when it came to party. Cheap drinks and loud music over a ground level and two stories underground gave also plenty of space, although they stuck closely together. According to Roxas and Ventus people took advantage of the festivities to drug and kidnap unsuspecting victims. Of course the police did all they could to keep people safe, however some still went missing despite every effort.

Riku, as the oldest of their little group, made it his job to keep an eye on his friends once they went downstairs to one of the dance-floors. Roxas, Axel, and Xion decided to stay upstairs and get some more food while Vanitas and Ventus stayed with them. Surprising enough Vanitas even went out to dance a couple of times, although he only gave in after every fifth request of Sora. Riku stood guard on a high table by the wall, empty plastic cups littering the surface along with some half-filled jugs of beer. Once in a while someone stepped up to him and asked for a dance, but he always declined.

Somehow the scene in the apartment still ghosted before his inner eye. The way Ventus and especially Vanitas had acted was a little disturbing... and the warning about people going missing wasn't really helping either. Riku usually thought with his mind more than anything, but the way his insides twisted in dark foreboding had him take a spot in the back to keep his watch rather than let himself go. His gut rarely gave him an alarm so it was worth paying it at least a _little_ mind.

As expected Sora spent most of his time out in the crowd, dancing along with the masses as if the beat was part of his being. Ventus was almost always by his side and bounced along while Kairi and Naminé took turns. Sometimes strangers would push up to them and stay around for a couple of songs, however always turned away once they signaled they weren't interested. Thankfully Kairi was pretty clear despite her daring outfit; Naminé was too shy and Sora often too pleasing to tell people off and Ventus was definitely a flirt. Whenever someone came closer he stepped up with a smile on his lips, at times even ground up to bodies as he danced.

The light was diffuse and dimmed, yet Riku enjoyed the sight before himself. He could see his friends enjoying themselves, every in their own way, and that made him content as well. It was enough for him if he could watch from the sidelines and guard over them. In their smaller, secluded parties back home he didn't mind dive right in and have a good time, but that club felt stuffed to the brim with way too many people for him to be comfortable.

Every once in a while the others came up to the table for a break, mostly to refill their systems with beer and water. Ventus and Sora were the ones walking up the bar most often, mostly since their positive vibes and beaming smiles got them an extra jug of beer or sometimes even shots. Riku himself felt pleasingly buzzed already, his mask half-way down his chin so he could drink, however the others were already drunk with all their dancing and sweating. Their bodies were much smaller than his, too, which also meant more alcohol concentrated in their systems. All the muscles and body-mass gave Riku quite the advantage, especially when they did drinking games.

“Rikuuu!” Sora yelled once he was up close. “Come, dance with meee!”

At first Riku shook his head with a smile, amused by the slur in Sora's voice, but after a moment he forgot about his resolve and allowed himself to be pulled out onto the dance-floor. Sora swayed seductively in front of him, a content smile on his lips and arms rested on Riku's shoulders.

It was easy to blame the alcohol for it rather than dwelling on the guilt when Riku lowered his hands to Sora's waist, his thumbs pushing just a little in to feel the hard line of his pelvis under the layers of clothe.

God, how much he wanted to grind their bodies together. Feel every inch of Sora press up against him in all the right ways. But he wouldn't.

No amount of alcohol and no heated mood in the world would make him forget his promise and the amount of trust Sora put in him by coming out. So instead he kept him firmly in place, a good few inches keeping them safely apart while they rocked in rhythm with the music.

Eventually the song came to an end and the moment passed away. They went back to the table, their drinks – thankfully – still there as the girls joined up. Smiling largely Sora grabbed his cup and emptied it in large gulps, a loud sigh coming from him as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Kairi drowned hers just as fast, just like Riku did, but Naminé nipped more timidly at her beer when Vanitas suddenly pushed himself up onto the table.

Until then Riku had barely seen him, mostly since he perfectly blend in with the crowd. Not that he had been looking out for the asshole; Vanitas was a few years older than them and made instantly clear he needed nobody and nothing. He probably could look after himself _just_ fine.

Yet the glare he shot in Riku's direction was so dark and accusing he winced under it.

Their eyes remained locked when Vanitas stole the drink right out of Naminé's hands and drank it himself. Kairi instantly protested and slapped him across the back while Naminé only blinked at him in discomfort, clearly annoyed he simply took her beverage but too timid to confront him.

“Ugh, I feel sick,” Vanitas suddenly announced and grabbed Sora by the shoulder, rough enough to make him sway. “Take me to the bathroom. Come on.”

Before Sora could as much as reply Vanitas already pulled him along toward the back of the floor, just were Riku vaguely recalled the toilets were.

“Geeze, what an ass,” Kairi shouted next to him to which Riku nodded sharply. Whatever good mood they had was gone, completely ruined by the selfish asshole. “Hey Nami, here, take mine.” Gently Kairi nudged her drink into Naminé's hands which she accepted with a small nod before sipping on it. Her eyes shone a bit stronger, reflected the lights like pools of water – signs she was fighting back tears.

That was it.

The next time Riku saw him, he was going to punch Vanitas hard enough to break his fucking nose.

Minutes ticked by with Riku stewing in his anger, but at least Naminé cheered up a little. Kairi always managed to brighten the mood again, although she needed more time for it than Sora. A joke and a well placed compliment used to do the trick for Naminé and she was smiling again, her cheeks a little darker in the weak light.

Eventually Sora came back – however when Riku turned his head in search, he couldn't spot Vanitas. But his focus shifted entirely the moment Sora grabbed his hand and intertwined their fingers before a gentle tug. “Dance with me?” he asked with a slight pout, his visible eye looking up at him through thick eyelashes filled with mascara.

How could he say no, when Sora looked at him like _that_?

Instead of answering Riku simply stepped forward, his heart skipping a beat when Sora gave a minute smirk in his direction as his eye closed half. Somehow that expression looked... smoldering.

They moved onto the dance-floor, away from the others but a little to the side before Sora stopped. The beat was slower and deeper than the previous songs, resonating in Riku's body so hard he felt the bass, and he watched mesmerized as Sora moved with it. His hips swayed with the rhythm as his hands roamed over his own sides and up to his hair before stretching upwards as he inched closer. He cocked his head with a lopsided grin, a wicked gleam in his eye as he lowered a hand to pull Riku closer by the elastic of the surgical mask around his ear. “Come on, Riku,” Sora mouthed so slowly he could read it from his lips, thin and pale and the fangs still poking out from beneath them.

And Riku obliged, the distance between them melting down to merely a couple of inches.

Sometimes Sora's body brushed against his when he moved, still to the beat while his hands lowered to lazily rest behind Riku's neck, his head dipping down to lean against his shoulder. He did that so many times before in all sorts of environments, an affectionate gesture Sora shared with him at least once whenever they met. Yet it had something else to it, felt a little different; Sora's gloved fingers played with the bangs on the base of his neck, tugged every once in a while, and the feet crept deeper and deeper into his personal space, multiplying the moments where their hips and legs touched.

It felt _fantastic_ to say the least, yet Riku couldn't help but worry.

Hyper-aware of the constantly decreasing distance he leaned his head down, just enough so his mouth was right against Sora's ear. “Are you okay?” he asked, loud enough to be heard above the music but without tearing his eardrums out.

“I'm _perfect_,” Sora replied as he leaned up, their chests pressing together enough for Riku to feel it heave with every breath. Sora had turned his head so the mask was filling most of Riku's vision, but beneath the edge he saw the corner of his lips pull up in a smirk before he sucked his bottom one in.

God, how drunk exactly _was_ Sora already?

The song changed and the beat got faster, matching Riku's racing heart. Sora merely gave a light chuckle before he rolled his hips faster, his arms closing a little bit tighter around Riku's neck. His movements were so fluid they seemed natural, the way he rocked his weight and kept them close, completely oblivious to what it did to Riku.

In a last, weak attempt to break out of the enticing spell Riku inched backwards, but Sora always closed the distance between them, inch by painful inch, and then Riku felt his back bump into a wall. “Caught ya,” Sora chuckled against his chest, a wide grin on his face.

“Sora,” Riku gasped, his hands resting on his hips and squeezing down. He felt Sora rock against the hold, trying to bring them closer together, but Riku held him firmly in place.

Ever so slightly Sora pushed out his bottom lip in a pout, however the playful smirk returned in the blink of an eye. “Yes?” he asked, innocently and brightly while his hand snaked to Riku's nape and pushed, forcing their heads closer together.

Riku closed his eyes and swallowed hard, desperate to find his voice. “I don't want you to be uncomfortable,” he eventually said with a surprisingly steady voice.

“Oh I'd tell you if I were,” Sora giggled, pushing close enough that his eye became visible, the azure orb gazing up at Riku with a passion in it he felt like he was dreaming.

How long had he yearned to see that look in Sora's eyes? That gaze that said, 'I want you'?

Still Riku fought the desire settling in his gut, reason telling him Sora would never ever go that far while instinct screamed the signs were too obvious to be misread. The talks they shared in Sora's bedroom flashed back into his mind, how he said intimacy made him uncomfortable, how sorry he was that he couldn't love Riku the way Riku loved him.

“But-”

A gloved finger laid over his lips, sealing them shut.

Insecurity washed over Sora's face, his eye flicking to the corner while his lips pressed together. “I know what I said,” he spoke into the small space between them, voice so weak it seemed to break any second, a slight tremor ringing with it. Encouragingly Riku tightened his hold, his thumbs stroking tiny circles on the narrow hips. The grateful smile Sora flashed him in return made his heart swell. “I kind of... wanna try something,” he added, his weight resting so much against him Riku felt a little pinned. “Can I...?”

Riku's mouth went dry as he looked down at Sora, so small and unsure but oh so very warm in his arms, and he could do nothing but nod weakly and close his eyes. Whatever Sora wanted to try, he was completely down for it – although he felt a little unsure at what was about to come. He had a good guess, how couldn't he after the way Sora touched him, and guilt was gnawing at him at the thought it was everything he ever desired.

But Sora gave his consent, didn't he? He asked if he could and even if he wouldn't like it afterward Riku would respect it completely. Nothing forced them to do it. And if he could give Sora, who was struggling so hard still with his orientation, a bit of clarity Riku would do whatever he could to help.

Still his breath hitched in anticipation when lips ever so softly brushed over his.

Sora tasted a bit salty and sharp, likely from sweat and the alcohol, and he was a little less soft than what Riku expected. Their lips pressed together a bit more firmly, Riku going so far as to kiss back, gentle and careful, timid even. This was about _Sora_, he reminded himself, about him wanting to explore.

After an endless moment Sora pulled away, his tongue coming out to lick over his lips before he leaned back in, bolder and more forceful than before. Nothing about him was doubtful as he kissed Riku, lips naturally moving so well against his he tilted his head to slot them better together. Unaware of it Riku lifted one of his hands and gently cupped half of Sora's face, neither pushing nor pulling, just a simple touch to remind himself it was real and not just a hazy dream.

When a slick tongue flicked between his lips, poking against his teeth, Riku willingly opened his mouth with a sigh.

Sora was slow, maybe even a little hesitant, as he moved his tongue inside. The tip flicked and brushed curiously around, inching further inside to find Riku's but never touching too firmly. Out of instinct Riku rolled his tongue a little, not in challenge but in invitation, and Sora accepted with a firm stroke on the side, enough for Riku to get a good taste.

The bitterness of the beer was almost non-existent; instead Sora tasted fresh and a little sour, as if he had been drinking sparkling water with a slice of lemon in it. Somehow Riku had imagined him to be sweet in a way, given all the sugar he consumed, but perhaps that had been just his fantasy. The way Sora tasted as he kissed him deeply in the shady corner of the club was real and perfect, better than any fantasy could ever be, and in a weak minute Riku wished time would still and preserve that special moment forever.

When Sora pulled away, his eye half-lidded, both of them were panting hard.

Even in the dimmed, colorful light Riku saw the glistening on Sora's lips, his own tongue running over his teeth and gum in search for any remainders of his addicting, fantastic taste. However he waited instead of initiating the next round of kisses, mindful of Sora and his comfort. The slight furrow of his brow was a bit unnerving, but it smoothed out and a warm smile curled over the glossy lips instead.

“You taste good,” Sora rasped against his lips with a content noise.

“So do you,” Riku whispered back, his head spinning from the experience.

“Wait here for me, Riku... I'll be right back.” Sora gave him another lingering kiss before he pulled away, his hand slowly sliding down Riku's chest as he looked back over his shoulder. Mesmerized Riku watched him go, disappear between the bodies on the dance-floor, and his throat bobbed when he swallowed.

Just to be completely certain he wasn't dreaming he pinched his upper arm, hard enough to bruise.

It hurt enough for him to gasp.

Riku wasn't dreaming at all.

A grin curled over his lips, broad enough to reach from one cheek to the other, and his eyes lit up as the realization sunk to him.

He had kissed Sora. Several times, in fact, and he seemed to _like_ the experience, too.

A small part of him surged up with hope. When he confessed to Sora and got turned down, shortly followed by the asexual outing, Riku tried to bury whatever hopes he had to ever date him. They were close as they were, their relationship running deep and stronger than anything else in Riku's life, and while it felt like they were dating sometimes there was still the lack of sexual intimacy.

Of course a romantic relationship was more than just sex. However Riku was, in fact, sexually active and liked that part of his life enough to want it present. He wanted to sleep with his partner, touch him and fondle him and pleasure him with everything he got. And while he adored Sora above anything else, he wouldn't let that drive taint their harmonic bond.

But now he had, maybe, the opportunity to picture a romantic future with Sora by his side.

In the back of his head a voice whispered to be cautious though. That Sora had been too serious about his orientation to simply _change_ it in the course of an evening. Just the previous day he had stepped away with that dreaded, guilty expression on his face. He had plenty to drink over the last few hours and the overall mood of the cramped club was hard to ignore, especially the way Sora let himself go. The voice insisted the person who backed him up against the wall and kissed his lips swollen could not be the Sora he loved and adored.

However Riku wanted to hope, even if by morning everything he experienced would only be a dear memory.

A little calmer than before Riku looked around, taking deep, slow breaths. The dance-floor was as crowded as ever and he glanced toward the space with their table. He thought to see the tip of Kairi's hat there, but the orange of Sora's mask was nowhere to be seen.

Confused Riku furrowed his eyebrows. If he hadn't gone to their table, where else could Sora be? It must have been at least a few minutes since he left already, too.

After a moment of hesitation Riku pushed off the wall and started for their table. Maybe Sora felt a bit light-headed after their kissing and went to the bathrooms? He'd ask Kairi if she saw him first and then go check.

It took unbearably long to fight his way through the masses, but eventually Riku broke out of the crowd near their table, breath coming a little harder. Leisurely Kairi waved her hand at him as he approached, a smile on her face as she sipped on her drink.

“Have you seen Sora?!” he shouted above the music. Distantly he noticed that everyone else beside Kairi was missing, too.

“Yeah! He's dancing with Nami!” she screamed back and pointed onto the dance-floor, however her arm fell and her eyebrows furrowed after a moment. “They were there just a moment ago!”

Suddenly Riku felt his stomach knotting up with a bad, _bad_ feeling.

Frantically he whipped his head around, searching the crowd for a glimpse of white-blond hair and a childish orange mask. The longer he looked with no result the more nervous he became and soon enough he dived into the mass of people. Thankfully he was tall enough to tower over most, but the costumes and bad light still made it very hard to see.

Eventually he caught a bit of vibrant orange – by the corridor that led to the other floors.

As fast as he could Riku strolled over, shoving people left and right in his walk. Probably he was overreacting; Sora had a billion reasons to head into another floor with Naminé in tow. Probably they would both laugh into his face and tease him for worrying so much once he caught up.

Still Riku couldn't stop.

He turned into the corridor, sweat running down his forehead, eyes quickly scanning the area.

On the upper floor he saw a bit of blue cloth disappear behind the corner, a pair of short bat-wings bouncing higher up.

Riku all but launched himself onto the stairway and climbed them, ignoring the complains and shouts of other patrons. The upper floor was even more cramped than below, groups of people everywhere as they chatted and ate and drank. “Sora!” he shouted from the top of his lungs, straining his ears for a reply, but even if there was one it got lost in the noise from the crowd.

Quickly Riku checked the exit – nothing there. Then he went for the bar – negative. Then- _there_!

Finally he spotted Sora and Naminé near one of the walls, but something about them seemed off. Naminé had her head lowered and Sora's swayed a little as he leaned against some person in a costume Riku didn't know. When he looked closer he noticed another was holding onto Naminé as well.

The moment a _door_ swung open by the wall, all of Riku's alarm bells went off.

God, he had been so stupid. So, so stupid. Sora's odd behavior should have warned him right away. He should have never ever let him leave in the first place.

The strangers disappeared through the door while Riku was still fighting his way through and once it began to close he used his elbows and torso to push through the people. Several patrons stumbled as he shoved them, a drink was spilled across his chest when he bumped into someone, a hand closed around his arm hard enough to bruise but he shoved free in a heartbeat.

All that mattered was getting to the door.

Thankfully it had a handle and Riku pushed down before storming out, the cold air of the night hitting him so hard it burned in his mouth and chest as he panted. He whipped his head around in the dark alley he found himself in, obscured regardless of the lights from the city, the music and noises from the main streets echoing through the space.

Eventually he spotted a dark van – the back doors open as two guys tried to lift Sora into it.

“Hey! Let them go!” Riku shouted as he ran up to them, adrenaline pumping through his veins in time with his heartbeat.

A third guy was watching over the two and instantly put himself in Riku's way. He was pretty bulky, although it was hard to see beneath his costume, however Riku still swung his fist and hit him square on the cheek. A second one came up and hit Riku's side with a bat, so hard he heard his bones crack under the assault. Yet Riku kept fighting, kicking and punching frantically as his thoughts constantly swirled around Sora and Naminé, both laying passed out in the van.

Years back Riku took some classes on self-defense, however his body couldn't recall the techniques at all as he found himself against the two strangers. The one he hit first got out a knife as well and soon enough Riku hit the ground, spitting blood while he struggled for breath and the masked men beat the shit out of him.

At some point the blows stopped and Riku groaned as his head was forced back with a violent tug on his hair, his eyes teary as he glanced up. “What about this one, boss?”

The third man, who had been standing in the back by the van, stepped up, a long, black coat covering his body as he leaned against a scythe. “Hmmm... His colors are nice and he has a decent build. Drug him up and throw him to the others we gathered.”

The pull in Riku's hair tightened even further as his captor gave a dark chuckle. “Alright pretty boy, open your mouth for me,” he sing-songed and pressed his fingers against Riku's lips, the glass of the small tube he held clacking against his teeth.

“I wouldn't do that,” a voice suddenly called, rumbling through the alley like thunder.

Riku knew that voice, although the tone was lacking every source of warmth and tenderness.

“Sora,” he gasped in worry and, true enough, Sora was standing next to the van with his arms on either side of his body, the light of the street-lamp on his back obscuring his face.

“Hey, you should be out!” the guy with the bat snarled as the one with the scythe shifted his weight. The hand in Riku's hair let go, completely ignoring him as the men zeroed on Sora.

“Whatever. Seize him,” the guy with the scythe ordered and the two strolled over to Sora, closing in like predators.

“Sora... run...” Coughing up blood Riku sat up, his entire body screaming in pain. While they used to wrestle and fight a lot as kids, Sora was usually too soft and weak for physical clashes. He could still deliver one hell of a punch, but against a guy with a bat and a second with a knife?

They would rough him up even more than they did with Riku.

However still he stood there, back straight in confidence and arms slowly rising on either side of his body.

The guy with the knife chuckled darkly as he took the lead. “Don't worry. Won't put a scratch on your pretty little fa-”

Before he could finish Sora suddenly crossed the last few feet between them and rammed his elbow into his throat. As the guy swung his hand down for a cut Sora deflected the blow with his lower arm, then grabbed the hand with the knife and _twisted_, a sickening crunch echoing through the alley as he broke the wrist without hesitation. The guy shouted in pain as Sora took the knife and elbowed him in the face, the shouts instantly dying and the body slumping into the ground motionlessly.

“You little shit!” the guy with the bat growled and swung at Sora horizontally. However Sora was so quick he easily dodged the blow and instead kicked right into the guy's knee from the front, the joint breaking like a thin stick and sending him crashing down. Howling in pain the guy swung his bat again, aiming for Sora's legs, but it only took Sora a simple step back to avoid it. Instead he kicked his foot down on top of the guy's arm, pinning it to the ground so hard he let go of his bat with a cry. A heartbeat later Sora tackled him to the ground, his foot still firmly planted on the arm as he pressed his shank into the guy's throat. He flailed and jerked for a while before his body went slack, and Sora waited a couple more seconds before he rose up again.

Eerily calm he started for the last guy, the man in the coat with the scythe.

“Who,” the man growled and held his scythe securely in both hands, “Who _are_ you?!”

Sora easily turned the knife in his hand as he replied, “Tell you what. I'll give you my name if you tell me where the other two groups are hunting tonight.”

“_Fuck you_,” the man in the coat spat, scythe rising just a little more.

“Wrong answer,” Sora replied and charged forward.

Aware of what Sora was capable of, the guy kept his distance and took advantage of the range the scythe gave him. He swung it so well it screamed experience and Sora could only dodge and sidestep, back and forth, back and forth, almost like a dance. However the guy got closer with every blow, even nicked Sora's baggy pants at one point and shaved off some of his hair when he went for the head. At some point the hood slipped off the guy's head, revealing long pink hair that cascaded well passed his shoulders.

Sora parried the next swing with his lower arm, the sharp edge cutting into his skin as he deflected the blow before he took a few steps back. “Ah. I figured you must be Marluxia,” Sora stated with a disappointed sigh. Quickly he shook his head before he called, “Tell me the locations of the other two teams. Last chance.”

“You know who I am and still think you could beat me?” Marluxia asked instead. With a chuckle he twisted his scythe and charged back in. He swung his weapon faster than before, always missing Sora by little more than an inch.

But then, in less than a minute, everything was over.

Marluxia was still viscously attacking as Sora, instead of stepping back, went in closer. The scythe cut into his shoulder however before it went too deep he stabbed his knife into Marluxia's biceps, his other hand reaching for the handle of the scythe and pulling it out of his spasming hand. Sora then twirled them around and pushed Marluxia back first into the nearest wall. A heartbeat later he pressed the blade of the scythe, the dull side, into his throat and pinned him against the bricks. He secured the end of the handle with his foot against the floor, keeping it from slipping away while Marluxia remained trapped and half-choking, his free hand squeezing down on his heavily bleeding biceps.

“If you don't want to talk,” Sora bellowed, darkness dripping from every syllable, “Then I'll have to _force_ you.”

Despite the disadvantaged position, Marluxia had the nerve to laugh. “Please. I'm in the top ranks of The Organization; whatever you could come up with pales compared to what I'm capable of.”

“You seem pretty sure of that,” Sora taunted before he cackled, his head falling forward until he calmed again. “But I get it. You're prime meat while I show myself in a costume worth for a ten-year-old. I won't take it personal that you haven't recognized me.”

Slowly Sora reached up and twisted the orange mask around so it faced back, leaving his face bare and open.

They were too far for Riku to see what Sora had revealed – but whatever it was, it instantly drained the blood from Marluxia's face and left him wide eyed. “No... not _you_!” he gasped and reached out with his good hand, clawing for Sora's throat.

He easily twisted his wrist around so it broke, leaving Marluxia howling in pain.

“Let's try this again,” Sora started and drove the knife right into Marluxia's abdomen. “Where are the other locations?”

When Marluxia gave groans of pain and guttural sounds as reply, Sora yanked the knife to the side. “Don't fucking waste my time, Marluxia...” he growled and yanked on the knife again.

After a few raged breaths Sora leaned closer to him, his head briefly titled. “See? Now that wasn't so difficult, was it?” he replied with a smirk and let go of the knife. Instead he reached up and pressed the lower arm of his blood-strained hand across Marluxia's chest while his other, clean hand rose up and covered his ear. “Hello, Vanitas speaking. Please confirm, over.” He paused for a few seconds before he added, “Third target is 'Castle Oblivion'. Repeat, third target is 'Castle Oblivion'. Storm of the mansion is clear, coordinates confirmed, over.”

Ever so slightly Vanitas turned his head around, facing Riku who was still kneeling on the ground, eyes wide in shock. “I need a few ambulances to my location. Two wounded delinquents, one heavily wounded civilian. Possibly broken bones. I also got a heavily drugged girl here, but she's gonna be fine after a good sleep. A third delinquent is fainted in the vehicle so a cab would be nice, too. Over and out.”

Sighing Vanitas dropped his hand again and faced Marluxia. “What's with that look? I didn't forget about you,” he said with a sneer as he reached for the knife again and pulled it out with a quick, fluid motion. “Figured I didn't have to mention the _one casualty_ from our little intermezzo.”

Expression hardening he drove the knife into Marluxia's chest, right at the spot where his heart was. Within seconds his cries became watery, blood oozing from his lips and from the fatal wound, the liquid splashing a little harder forth when Vanitas twisted the knife around.

“You made two mistakes, Marluxia,” he began as he pushed his weight harder against the blade. “For one, you and your fucked-up group of assholes thought it's a good idea to keep going even after I took out Ansem and Xemnas. And for two,” he twisted the knife violently into the wound, “Tonight you decided to come after my little brother of all people.”

The moment Vanitas pulled back Marluxia slumped down the wall slowly, his body twitching and jerking as he bleed out. Vanitas remained standing and watching until the movements stopped completely – only then he turned and headed over to Riku.

He was still so shocked speechless he hardly noticed him approach. “Come on. I need you standing,” Vanitas declared as he crouched down and slung his arms under his shoulders. “Can you walk? Hey, Riku?”

Only when a hand waved in front of his eyes Riku finally woke from the daze.

“You killed him,” he whispered, voice calm despite a violent shake in his hands.

Vanitas merely shifted a little to adjust the weight. “I'll explain everything. But I need you to tell me if you can walk.”

“Yeah... I think,” Riku replied weakly. His head was throbbing and he could hardly breathe, but his legs felt alright.

“Good. We're going to the van,” Vanitas announced before he boosted them up, effortlessly carrying Riku's weight despite his delicate frame. In fact he half-way dragged Riku to the vehicle rather than helped him walk. “Think you can keep yourself upright?” he asked as he lowered Riku to the edge of the trunk. “I have to secure the guys on the floor. Can you keep an eye on Naminé for me?”

A little confused Riku glanced around and spotted Naminé further inside the trunk. She didn't react at all, her eyes closed and body so motionless she looked dead.

Panicking Riku grabbed her foot and tugged, his breath coming in shallow gasps as terror spread in his chest.

“Hey, hey, Riku!” Vanitas cupped his cheeks and turned him so they faced each other. One of his eyes was blue while the other was red, as if his and Sora's faces had somehow merged. “She's not dead, you hear me? She's fainted. Look. Her chest is heaving.” He forced Riku around and pointed at Naminé. “Do you see it?”

After a dreadful moment Riku watched as her chest gently rose before it fell back, calm and regular and perfectly alive.

“Count her breaths out loud for me. Come on.”

Vanitas sounded so warm and gentle, his voice so like Sora's...

“One... Two... Three...” Quietly Riku counted her breaths, just like requested, his eyes trained on her chest so much he didn't even blink.

“There you go.” With that last praise Vanitas climbed into the van and soon came back out. He did something on the front, a door opening and closing, but Riku was too focused on counting Naminé's breaths to see what he was doing. Somehow the simple counting was difficult, his head throbbing more with every number while his sight turned watery.

Once he reached forty-seven Vanitas was back by his side. “Okay Riku. Do you feel sick?”

Slowly Riku turned toward him, his eyes blinking slowly. “I... think,” he mouthed with a sigh, his eyes slipping shut.

“This is gonna hurt, but I have to check,” Vanitas warned before something pressed into Riku's side. The pain was so strong he tore his eyes open with a shout and a jerk before he turned over and vomited onto the ground. “Ugh. Gross.” Vanitas complained but steadied him until everything was out. “Your lungs are filling with liquid, but it's not going to kill you. From the looks of it you fucking idiot got a concussion, too.” He pulled Riku back up and while the bile was burning in his throat, he managed to not throw up again. “Until the ambulance comes we are gonna sit here and see you stay awake. So. Ask whatever you want to know.”

Riku felt his eyes growing heavy, but he forced them back open and glanced out of the van. The bodies were out of sight – only the bat and little puddles of blood showed there had been a fight in the first place.

“Why...”

“Why what?” Vanitas supplied.

“Why... they...” Riku coughed, unable to finish the sentence.

“Those guys belong to a group of murderers, slave traders, and drug dealers called The Organization. They take advantage of such festivities to stock up on fresh meat. The state has been on their track for a while already and today we managed to pull off a raid,” Vanitas explained as calmly as if he were discussing the weather.

“Sora,” Riku whispered, his eyes half-closed as he fought against fainting. “Where's... So... ra?”

Vanitas gave a shrug. “By now? At hospital, sleeping off the drug.” He pushed against Riku's shoulder, forcing him upright against the open door of the van as he pinned him with a glare. “They spiked his drink when you smitten idiot went off watching his little ass wiggle on the dance-floor. Fucking moron. Leaving drinks unguarded like that-”

“Vanitas?” called a voice from outside the van.

“Over here,” Vanitas loudly replied, making Riku wince at the volume. After a moment a shadow fell into the van, blocking out the light of the alley.

“What the hell happened?” the voice asked, clearly tensed. It sounded familiar but Riku couldn't place it.

“I did my fucking job,” Vanitas snarled with a low growl.

“Why didn't you ring me up for reinforcements? Look how beaten Riku is.”

“Shut the fuck up, Ventus.”

Ah... yeah... That slight lisp in the voice belonged to Ventus. Now he recognized him.

Vanitas pushed his shoulder again when he leaned forward a little. “I had _everything_ under perfect control, but then this sorry sap decided to play hero. Every fucking punch he got was well-deserved.”

“You're a damn lunatic,” Ventus spat with a low voice. “You practically _maimed_ those guys. And what about Marluxia? Why did you cut him open like that?”

“I only acted in self-defense.”

“I'm not an idiot, Vanitas.” Ventus heaved another sigh. “He would have been punished by the system. He'd never seen daylight aga-”

“You don't know _shit_, so _shut the fuck up_.” The hand disappeared from Riku's shoulder as Vanitas got up instead and closed in on Ventus, their outlines shadows against the light. “I went _too fucking easy_ on that bastard if you ask me. After everything he did in the past and how he fucking _stalked_ Sora tonight... I'd rather taken him to a dark place where nobody would ever find him and punished him the way he fucking _deserved_.”

“You're insane, Vanitas,” Ventus replied, calm and controlled.

“That's what four years undercover in that hellhole does to you, _Venty_.”

They were still arguing by the time Riku closed his eyes and drifted into soothing, silent darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> A lot happened in this part. It will be mostly talks in the last part, basically to wrap up a few things.  
Frequent readers might have noticed that this scenery is somewhat based on another short piece I wrote a while back.  
If not, the last part definitely gives it away xD 
> 
> Since it's not obvious, Vanitas did, in fact, not actually drink Naminé's drink. He pretended to as he saw the bad guys spiked their drinks, but Sora had already drowned his by the time he could interfere. He had been undercover with The Organization for long enough to know how they act and work, so it was easy for him to play along. 
> 
> The dubious content tag is up since, in fact, he was the one making out with Riku in the club. Just wanted to be safe there ^.^  
On a more serious note, seriously people, watch your drinks. I've known of cases in my environment where people were drugged up and molested. Especially in cramped places it's a very serious threat, so either drink up fast or keep your drink always in your hand. 
> 
> Have a nice Halloween :)  
The last part will be posted tomorrow. 
> 
> Regards,  
-T


	3. Aftermath

Even before Riku opened his eyes he groaned in pain. His skull throbbed like he was rolled over by a truck and his limbs were heavy as concrete. Twitching his fingers felt like a near-impossible task and even simple breathing hurt, a sharp twinge in his side whenever his lungs filled too much.

A soft gasp came from his right. “Riku! You're finally awake!”

The worry lacing the voice, restrained to keep low, was enough for Riku to suck up the pain and open his eyes regardless.

Once the overhead light blinded him hard enough to send sparks through his head, he immediately regretted his decision.

“Oh wait, I think you can dim the light,” Sora said before scuffle filled the room. Beyond his eyelids Riku saw the light getting weaker and after a moment he pried one eye open to test.

It was still bright, but now he could endure it.

Sora was back on his side and took his hand, squeezing down tightly. “The doctor said you might not know what happened. Basically some bad guys beat you up in a back alley, but you got away with two cracked ribs and a concussion. There was also some liquid in your lungs but they got everything out.” The bed dipped a little when Sora sat on the mattress, close enough for Riku to see him.

“Yeah... I think I remember,” he whispered, images appearing before his inner eye. “You and Naminé... They took you out and I followed...”

And then he watched Vanitas tear them apart like a monster.

“Well actually...” A nervous laugh bubbled out of Sora as he scratched the back of his head sheepishly. “They put some drug into the last beer I had. Since I drank it up so fast, I was out cold shortly after Vanitas took me to the bathrooms. Ven took me to the hospital and I woke up here this morning. From what the officers said, Vanitas took my costume and dressed up as me to act as a bait and... apparently his plan worked out.”

The alarms in Riku's head went off again, but for a completely other reason.

“Sora,” he began, mouth so dry he felt like coughing, “Vanitas is _dangerous_. You should-”

“I know,” Sora gently interrupted him. His face turned a little darker and he looked away, one leg coming up to curl underneath himself. “I heard of some... things he has done. He had always been a bit unstable, but that last case really changed him. He does a good job of hiding it, but I still see the differences.” The chestnut-colored spikes of his head bounced at how fast Sora turned his head back to face him. “However he's still the Vanitas I know. He's still my big brother who, by the end of the day, would never let someone innocent get in harms way.”

He was so earnest, the blue of his eyes glimmering with bottomless trust and conviction, that it clenched Riku's heart together.

Sora couldn't know what Vanitas was truly capable of. He _wouldn't_ believe like that if he knew how he tortured and killed people. However before Riku broke the truth to him, the door in the back opened noisily.

“Sora. I got mother on the phone for you.”

Cold shivers worked through Riku's body at the familiarity of the voice.

He was still too groggy from whatever treatment the doctors performed on him to reach out in time – Sora bounced off the bed in a heartbeat, joy flashing across his features on the chance to talk to his mother. Soon enough his chatter filled the room, but it turned more distant until it finally silenced as he walked out of the room.

Terrified Riku turned his head, his heart stilling when he watched Vanitas stand motionlessly by the door, hands in the pockets of his pants. He wasn't wearing his sunglasses and one of his lower arms was wrapped in a band-aid. The costume was gone but he still wore the red lenses for whatever reason, which seemed to glow in the dim light.

“Alright. Time to talk about a few things,” he started and approached. Riku twitched visibly at his first step, which brought a strained sneer over Vanitas' lips as he headed to the chair next to the bed. “What's with the reaction? Not so confident about punching me in the face anymore, hu?”

Once he sat Riku inched a little away, but he forced the rest of his body to still. “How would you know I'd want to punch you,” he spat back, the brief wave of annoyance at the smug expression on Vanitas' face overpowering the cold fear for a moment.

Vanitas released a faint chuckle as he relaxed on the chair. “It's part of my job to know what people _think_. And you wanted to punch me since I came back to care for my mother.”

“Fucking prick.”

Vanitas just shrugged his shoulders at the insult before his features shifted, turned more serious. “Because of the recent happenings, our stay in Twilight Town is extended. The people back at Destiny Islands know already, but you can ring up your family anyway if you like.” His legs crossed while his head tilted back, his throat bobbing as he sighed dramatically. “A police officer will come by in a few hours and take your evidence as well as protocol your statement. The report about your injuries is already with them. Since it's such a big operation you can't really say anything against that, but I am supposed to let you know all information will be treated confidentially.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Riku eventually brought out, eyebrows furrowed and eyes narrowed.

“It's protocol,” Vanitas supplied as he lolled his head forward again. “Since I came back, the dickheads from higher up enjoy rubbing into my face that's a thing.” He crossed his arms before his chest with a shake of his head. “They weren't so thorough when it came to _my_ safety. Fucking hypocrites.”

Riku was too busy trying to make sense of what Vanitas said to come up with a reply or comment. Heavy silence laid between them, charged up and dark, yearning for release.

“Listen,” Vanitas eventually said and leaned forward to rest his arms on his knees, “Before you get any idea, don't come and whine to me about trauma and pain and _oh boo-hoo_. Everything would have gone _a lot_ easier if you _just_ stayed where I left you. Or gone jack off in the bathroom or something.” He pointed at Riku with a glare in his eyes, the same accusing one as inside the club before he drank up Naminé's beer. Or pretended to, given he had seemed all but drugged. “It's your own fault you got your ass kicked like that.”

“Excuse me?” Riku snarled back, anger and embarrassment flaring up in his chest.

God, he knew it. He somehow _knew_ it wasn't Sora who sort of made-out with him inside the club. But Riku had stupidly decided to ignore all the signs for the sake of a fantasy, a fleeting moment of bliss.

As if reading his thoughts Vanitas chuckled, “Thought you'd notice it immediately, given how _infatuated_ you are with my brother. Then again, you're a pretty dense sap.”

“It was dark, alright?!” Riku shot back. Usually he'd come up with a better comeback, but his head was still a little slow and throbbing too much to properly work. “Besides, how should I know your eyes are as blue as his when you always wear that stupid sunglasses. What creep does that anyway?”

It wasn't the most graceful exchange, however Riku still somewhat hit home given how Vanitas' face shifted; his yaw clenched and the corner of his lips pulled back in a snarl while, oddly enough, hurt flashed through the ruby of his eyes.

“My eyes _are_ _red_, you fucking moron,” he snapped with a low voice.

“...What?”

Vanitas turned his head away with a click of his tongue. “I have a pigmentary abnormality. Came in pretty handy when I was undercover with The Organization. Albinos are fucking _terrifying_, especially when they come up to collect your dept. They were pretty eager to have me on board.” One of his legs began bouncing as he shoved his hands back into the pockets of his cotton pants. “My personal list of targets was _quite_ a bit longer though. That's why Marluxia was so _chatty_ once he saw my red eye and recognized who I am.” He clicked his tongue again and murmured, “A few weeks longer and I'd have taken them all out, but instead Ansem wanted his dick getting bitten off.”

“_What_?!” With wide eyes Riku backed a little further off. Did he really just say...?!

“Never mind,” Vanitas sighed with a shake of his head. “So, yeah. I keep the glasses on so to not get recognized. Fucking contacts burn like crazy in my eyes and it fucks up my vision. That's why I got a few scratches this time around, too.” His bandaged arm lifted in emphasis, the cotton perfectly white, just like the milky flesh on either side of it. Riku had a very pale complexion as well, but Vanitas was good two or three shades _brighter_ still.

“So you... didn't wear any make-up? As a vampire?” Riku muttered, feeling like an idiot. Now that he thought about it, it made perfect sense that the teeth looked so fake in contrast to the details on his skin and eyes. In fact, the shadow on Sora's face when they danced had a much sharper edge to it as well and the mascara was horribly smudged, as if it was put on in a haste and without much skill.

The laugh Vanitas uttered was mocking, but it also sounded a little sad. “You never really looked at me before, did you?” he asked with hangdog smile and a twitch in his eyes.

He looked... troubled.

“Sorry,” Riku whispered before he could stop himself. He suddenly had the urge to make it better – ease the weight on Vanitas' shoulders, if only a little. Oddly enough it didn't feel quite like with Sora, despite the striking similarity in their current expressions.

“You kiss really well, by the way,” he blabbered out, the only compliment his hazy mind could think of in the heat of the moment.

Vanitas furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, however then his lips curled into a smirk. “What the fuck are you saying _that_ for? Like your raging boner was any indication.” He chuckled, so light it was almost a laugh. “And yet you neglected it to come to _my rescue_.” The way he waved his hand made him snicker, so much even the corners of his mouth lifted in a small smile.

“Hey, I tried my best,” Riku reasoned, smirking himself. It was weird how easy it was for him to fall into such a conversation, especially with Vanitas, but there was a spark in the air he didn't want to disappear just yet.

“Your _best_?” The cackle breaking out of Vanitas was so loud it rang in Riku's ears. “Oh my God. Didn't you do self-defense at some point? What were you, bottom of the list or something?”

Riku merely uttered a huff. “It's been a while. And how do you know?”

Slowly Vanitas calmed again, although a bit of mirth stayed in his eyes. “Sora is talkative. I might not have showed up so often, but I care a lot about him and mother.” He stretched out his legs and crossed his ankles, making himself more comfortable on the chair. It creaked a little under his movements. “I think the longest time I didn't talk to them was the four years undercover. Couldn't take any risks. My informants never bothered letting me know how they were doing either, so I learned about mother's condition pretty late.” A heavy sigh escaped his lips. “At least I can finally use all my saved up vacation. This raid gets me another half a year, too.”

“What do you do actually?” Riku asked and, for the first time ever, really cared for an answer.

Vanitas scratched the back of his head, in a way Sora often did when he searched for words. “I'm part of a specialized police-force. We're usually involved whenever terrorists attack or if there is a nasty assault, but my duties go a little farther still.” A sneer curled over his lips and for a moment his eyes swirled with chaos. “Sometimes there are jobs and cases nobody wants to take. Stuff that crosses lines and takes a toll on you. That's when I come in.”

Instantly Riku's mind came up with possible scenarios and, for a moment, he wondered what was worse – the ideas in his head or the _actual_ truth.

However asking felt like a line he wasn't allowed to cross, and probably never wanted to anyway.

So instead he pulled his lips into a lopsided smirk and said, “Well, suits you, right? You said yourself albinos are terrifying and I get the feeling you like scaring people.”

The sneer Vanitas showed him had something predatory to it, yet his eyes shone with playful mischief. “You could say I have a _talent_ for it,” he replied leisurely, his head cocking a little to the side.

“Oh come on. You love it.” If he was in better condition, Riku might have sat up and shoved him a little, just for the heck of it.

“Nah. You're the only lovesick one in the room.” Vanitas winked at him and snorted a moment later.

Against his better judgment, Riku found himself entertaining the thought about getting to know Vanitas more. Maybe then he would realize that the trust and conviction in Sora's eyes was, perhaps, justified.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> Guess what, it's already Friday here, so here is the last part :D 
> 
> A lot of talk, many hints, indications left and right... I know it has many lose ends. But that also gives me the opportunity to come back to this universe in the future. 
> 
> I'm a bit conflicted about the end; I know it takes much longer for a person to process through trauma than Riku did. Sorry if it came off as if he shrugged it off no-big-deal-wise. However, given his injuries and the freshness of the situation, I think it can be plausible for people to plain 'ignore' what happened to protect themselves. It's not a healthy solution, actually no solution at all since it comes bite you in the ass at some point anyway, but it's a solution that is possible while it works for this scenery I set up. 
> 
> Drawing a suuuuper-long circle, this story can be seen as the prequel to "From Bottom to Top". The very rocky beginning of a later established relationship. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this story :) 
> 
> Regards,  
-T


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